Social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak got a little more real this week in our state. What about where you live?
A little over two weeks ago, we were finally properly addressed by a suddenly serious President Trump and encouraged to begin social distancing. Being a polite little town, it appeared to me that everyone started taking it fairly seriously here. But when the directive to Stay at Home came in the form of the Governor's excutive order this past Monday, it took on a whole new meaning. The order was to go into effect at midnight Wedesday morning - so Monday and Tuesday saw many people (hubs included) scrambling for some last minute items they might need (or want) in order to truly hunker down from 3/25 through 4/7.
And now here we are.
Hunkered down (sounds so determined)
Cocooning (sounds about right - I'm thinking we'll all be ready to molt come June)
Social distancing as if our lives depended on it (because some lives do)
And starting to go a bit stir-crazy.
I'm finding myself thankful for a rainy weekend. It makes it easier somehow to stay home and pretend like it's just life as normal.
Though, of course, nothing's really normal right now, is it?
Early in the week, we learned that one of our neighbors has tested positive for COVID and another believes she has it and is quarantining herself. That certainly got our attention. Thankfully, both appear to be nearly over it without having to spend time in a hospital. Being no stranger to taking a meal to someone sick, I have to say it was a first for me to leave hot soup outside the door, and text from a distance that it was safe (for me) for them to open their door and collect it.
Living near Indianapolis and having many people in our community as commuters to the city (hubs was one until last July), we've gotten more than our fair share of outbreaks in our county. While compared to areas in New York or even Michigan, we're minor leaguers when it comes to the number of confirmed COVID cases here, but today's local newspaper headline was that ten people have tested positive in a large nursing home in town (some are staff, some are residents).
Learning this was a reminder that our harmless little sleepy town is at war. And that we do not vainly arm ourselves with sanitizer wipes when entering the battlefields of Mejier or Kroger.
Sunday, I posted what I thought was a great idea for motivating myself to move through my rooms, cleaning and "decluttering". Well, I got as far as the bedroom and one bathroom cabinet. Evidently, imagining myself sequestered to a room for 2 weeks didn't provide as much motivation to get rid of stuff as I thought it might.
So I'm doing away with proclamations about what I need, or think I want, to do with this stay-at-home time. While I will seek out good ways to spend my time, I'm not going to beat myself up over unproductive hours or days.
Hopefully, I'll get excited about something worth sharing here, but for now I think it will be enough to be more intentional about making connections with people (both in-person and online friends), reaching out to someone who is sick, being on the look-out for lonely someones, taking care of myself when I feel lonely, treating my husband with patience and kindness rather than irritation when we both are chomping at the bit for a change of scenery...
If I manage all that in addition to cooking, doing laundry, and getting in some exercise, I'll count the time well spent. And if I can manage to get into some sort of respectable sleep pattern (like collapsing into bed before 2 or 3 am - it was 5 am this morning 😵) I'll surely manage to do even more. Being healthy - in mind, body and spirit seem the most essential right now.
I came across the video below last weekend. It may not seem like it's saying anything all that new, but I really liked the presentation. And the reminders and clarifications are helpful. It's personal and heartfelt. It gave a sense of personal purpose to this social distancing we're all doing. It's not very long at all (6.38 minutes). I encourage you to watch to the end. She saves the best for last.
Yes, that was a great video. I do agree that we are not doing this just for ourselves but for the health of the community. I can relate to everything you have written, especially about not being too hard on ourselves if we aren't productive every moment. I am there, too! I have finally started a room painting project downstairs, but it's taken me a few weeks to get motivated. Now I do just a little each day, and I'm making progress. Stay well!
ReplyDeleteBalancing diversion and rest with being purposeful is a skill I've never mastered. I love your doing a job a-little-each-day approach. Especially such a big job! Go you!
DeleteI like your approach to being content with less achievement if that's how it is. We're under great stress, stands to reason we can't be productive as usual. I agree with your more easy going days. I'll try that myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. Even if we don't obviously feel stressed, this stay at home time is (for many) an unwelcome change of pace, and any changes (let alone forced changes) will have a stress associated with them.
DeleteI find the motivation comes when it comes and no point in trying to make it happen. I feel like I wasted much of last week, but maybe I just needed to rest because I feel much better today.
ReplyDeleteI do think our bodies and minds will lead us in doing what is truly important - if we'd just listen to them. And often our bodies and minds simply do need rest.
DeleteWe did it slightly differently in the UK. The lockdown instruction took place immediately. That prevented riots in the supermarkets. Many of us, though, had already started social-distancing. I froze my gym membership a whole week before the gym was forced to close. I still don't know anyone who is ill, so part of me can't really believe what is happening. It only seems real when I watch the tv news.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how that works to have everything just suddenly shut down? Even with our stay at home order we can go to the grocery and, I guess whatever stores might be open. Most stores have closed, but I know friends who make it to Menards or Lowes to get supplies to work on house projects. And I know what you mean about it not seeming real. Hearing 10 people at a large nursing home have it, though, made it feel more real and ominous - even if still invisible to me.
DeleteWe all must cope in different ways I think. For me I'm content in my sewing room playing with fabric, needle and threads and not being able to go out isn't a hardship. I try to look after my elderly friend who just can't seem to grasp the seriousness of all this. She thinks I'm happy to go to the grocery store every week for her and this morning she told me she's going to the bank tomorrow no matter what. She's 92 with breathing issues and has arranged for someone else to take her because she knew I wouldn't be happy with her. Sometimes you just can't protect people from themselves. There's a nursing home just a few miles from here that is full of the virus - both residents and staff and it's pretty serious for what staff is still able to work. I can't even begin to imagine what they're going through and the fear they deal with every single day. There's no way I will complain about being self isolated in my comfortable home with my husband of 40 years when others have to deal with far far worse. We can do this, we will do this, and we will come out the other side stronger and, hopefully, a whole lot smarter. Take care of you my friend.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how nurses and doctors keep walking into the midst of the virus every day knowing their own health is at risk. They are soldiers in this war and I am so very grateful for them. I don't actually struggle with the stay at home order. I'm just surprised at how unfocused I am with this time. I do think it's taking a turn, though. Last week was such a mixture of emotions. That will probably be the case for a while, still.
DeleteHi Becki :) I hope you're doing okay and not going to stir-crazy. I have to admit, being the hermit that I am, and Alex too, we aren't bothered by the stay at home order/suggestion here in our little mountain village at all. Actually it's kept the loud snowmobile tourists away so we are kind of grateful for that. I hope your neighbours will do okay and how sweet of you to make them soup! xx
ReplyDeleteDelivering a meal of soup felt like such a small thing. But I think the contact was probably huge. Living in a little mountain village sounds so wonderful. :) Loud snowmobiles, not so much. I'm glad you're experiencing a reprieve from this in the last weeks of your winter weather.
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